A Theological-Political Treatise [Part III]

by Benedictus de Spinoza

"A Theological-Political Treatise [Part III]" by Benedictus de Spinoza is a philosophical work published in 1670. Written anonymously in Latin to escape persecution, this treatise critically examines the Bible and organized religion while arguing for separation of church and state. Spinoza advocates for democracy, freedom of speech, and religious liberty, positioning the state's primary role as guaranteeing citizen freedom. The work challenged ecclesiastical authority so provocatively that one critic called it "Forged in hell by the apostate Jew working together with the devil."